


Sweet Nothings

by Lunarlooroo



Series: Languages of Love [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: But only Harry knows, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Severus is a softie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:11:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8009641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarlooroo/pseuds/Lunarlooroo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ron is concerned that his best friend's lover isn't treating him right. No compliments, not even a friendly tone!</p>
<p>Harry knows that his best friend's worries are unfounded. For Severus' words are saturated with love, even if only he can hear it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet Nothings

“Hey, Harry! Over here!”

Harry turned towards the sound of his name and saw Ron waving him over. He walked to the table at the corner of the pub, Severus following closely behind.

Taking his seat, Harry asked, “Hey there, Hermione, Ron. How are you two doing?”

“Just fine, mate. Did you hear? Hermione got promoted _again_!” Ron crowed.

“Ronald!”

“What? You know you’re the most capable one in that department, Mione. The old man should have made you Head of Department long ago!”

“Felicitations, Mrs Weasley-Granger,” Severus said, giving a reserved nod.

“How many times have I asked you to call me Hermione, Severus?” Hermione said, exasperated. His partner simply raised a brow in answer.

“Congrats, Hermione! That’s wonderful!” Harry said sincerely. Since she had joined the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, numerous legislation to the benefit of creatures had been implemented. Previously oppressed creatures like werewolves and house elves had much improved standards of living now. To think that the little witch who’d founded S.P.E.W. in Hogwarts had come such a long way was amazing.

“Isn’t she just brilliant?” Ron smiled sappily. “I really lucked out with this one, huh, mate? She’s got both beauty _and_ brains.”

Hermione blushed a brilliant crimson and shoved her husband lightly in reprimand. But she was smiling too much for Ron to take her seriously.

“That’s rare; Hermione’s got a wrackspurt infestation,” an airy voice cut in.

Harry turned around to greet Luna and Neville as they sat in the two remaining stools.

“So what’s new with you guys?”

“Neville finally found his moon frog!” Luna said happily. She lifted her right hand to show off a beautiful ring with some sort of inlaid coloured glass sitting on her ring finger.

Realisation struck Harry as he deciphered Luna’s typical cryptic words. “Congratulations you guys! About time, eh, Neville?”

“That looks exquisite! What is the ring made of? Some sort of glass?” Hermione, ever the scholar, inspected the ring intently.

Neville blushed. “That’s a piece of sea glass from our first trip together.”

“We were looking for oceanic plimpies! The soup you can make with them is more nutritious than with freshwater plimpies, you know.” Luna said, caressing her ring gently.

Hermione cooed at the sweet gesture. “That’s so romantic!”

“Yes, Neville is so darling, isn’t he?” Luna said, “The dabberblimps simply love him.”

For some odd reason, Neville made a squeaky ‘eep’ sound and ducked his head in embarrassment. However, he retained enough of his senses to reply, “ _You’re_ the one with a colony of them.” To Harry’s shock, Luna flushed and stuttered something incoherent. He’d never seen Luna look so…un-Luna before.

Whatever they meant by dabberblimp, Harry _really_ didn’t want to know.

“Well,” he said loudly, “this calls for a toast! I’ll get the next round. What are your orders?”

At this point, Severus stood up. “I shall be departing for now. Slug and Jiggers has an important shipment in today.” He turned to Harry with a stern look. “Take care not to overindulge; you degenerate into an absolute mess when you do. I do not fancy having to lug you home.” With that, he made a polite farewell and left.

“I’ll come with you, mate! Your scrawny arms won’t be able to handle all five drinks,” Ron said, flexing his biceps.

“Oh, sod off Ron,” Harry said good-naturedly. Nevertheless, he let Ron come with him to the bar. After placing the orders with the bartender, he waited.

Sure enough, Ron said casually, “So it’s been, what, three years for you and Snape?”

“Four years three months, actually.” And seven days. And two hours. But who was counting?

“Doesn’t it bother you?” Ron asked, frowning.

“Doesn’t _what_ bother me?” Harry truly had no idea what his best friend was talking about.

“Y’know. His insults.”

“What insults?” Severus hadn’t said anything rude to them.

“Just now! Before he left! He said you were an absolute mess!”

“Actually, I believe he said _not_ to become an absolute mess.”

“Same thing!”

“No it’s not. He was just expressing his concern. Remember July two years ago?” He still cringed with the memory of that hangover of hangovers.

Ron winced as well. “It was your 25th birthday. You’re _supposed_ to get smashed.”

Harry shook his head. “Ron, you’re missing the point. Severus wasn’t insulting me.”

“Still, I haven’t heard him say _one_ nice thing to you – _ever_. Not like me and Hermione. Or even Neville and Luna! I’m pretty sure that ‘badderplimb’ or whatever was a compliment. Or an innuendo.”

“Can you picture Severus saying stuff like that?” Harry said, wrinkling his forehead.

Ron paused, then shuddered. “Eww, mate! Bad images!”

Harry whacked him on the head. “That’s my lover you’re talking about, you arse!”

“Whatever. Forget I said anything then.” Ron then sobered and looked at him in concern. “You sure you’re alright with that grumpy git?”

“Definitely,” he said firmly.

~~~

“Sev’rus, I’m home!”

His lover looked up from the armchair where he was reading one of his Potions journals. “Miracle of miracles. Thought I’d see the sun before you.” _Are you alright? Why are you so late?_

Harry grinned apologetically. “Sorry, we just got caught up celebrating Neville and Luna’s engagement. Had a little kerfuffle on the way home, too.”

With narrowed eyes, Severus asked, “And who did you cause trouble for this time, brat?” _Did anything happen? Are you injured?_

“Oh, it was nothing much.” Harry collapsed, exhausted, next to Severus. He leaned into his comforting warmth and inhaled. “Got back home in one piece, didn’t I?” He sighed as a hand rose to stroke his side, but flinched a little when he touched a tender spot.

“Who do I need to maim for this?” Severus asked softly – too softly. _Who do I need to kill for this?_

Harry chuckled. “No one. Just came across some drunks in a scuffle. One of them hit me in the side as I was breaking it up. They’ve already been taken into custody.”

“Always playing the hero, eh, Potter?” _You don’t have to take on all these responsibilities._ “Get up, you lout. I’ll not go to bed with you in this state.” _I’ll help to draw a bath and treat your injury._

“Okay, okay,” Harry said, dragging himself to his feet. He walked slowly to the bathroom as his lover went to fetch some bruise paste. Yawning widely, he peeled his clothes off and stepped into the tub. He was nodding off as Severus returned with a jar.

He clucked in disapproval as he, too, disrobed and joined him. “Look at you, you’re dead on your feet.” _Lean on me._

They (read: Severus) eventually managed to get Harry clean. Careful manoeuvring got Harry dry and in bed. He felt a gentle palm smoothing Bruise Paste on his side, relieving the dull throbbing. He smiled as Severus grumbled, “Next time, know your own limits.” _Take better care of yourself._

“Okay, Severus. Come to bed.” Or, at least that’s what Harry thought he said. It probably came out as ‘mmmhhhrghdd’. Fortunately, his lover was a genius and understood what he said.

Severus climbed into his side of the bed and _Noxed_ the lights. It didn’t take long for Harry to shuffle closer to him and snuggle into his side.

“Your feet are cold, you fiend.” _I’ll warm you up._

“You say the sweetest things, Sev’rus.”

“Go to sleep, brat.” _Go to sleep, love._


End file.
